Bethlehem’s Moravian Church settlement added to list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

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The Historic Moravian Bethlehem District in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has been added to the World Heritage Sites list, which recognizes natural and historical sites for their cultural impact on humanity.

The Moravian Church settlement becomes the 26th such site in the United States, including two others in Pennsylvania: Philadelphia’s Independence Hall and Stewart Township’s Fallingwater in Mill Run, a property designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The settlement in Bethlehem joins settlements in Herrnhut, Germany and Northern Ireland; the three areas combine as an extension of the Moravian settlement in Denmark, which was added to the list in 2015, and will form a single World Heritage listing for Moravian Church Settlements.

Bethlehem’s settlement serves as a prime example of Moravian architecture and town planning. The settlement played a key role in both the international and American Moravian communities.

The 10-acre settlement in downtown Bethlehem includes nine structures, four ruins and God’s Acre cemetery. The Moravians began building their community back in 1741, with the goal of being the principal center for the church in the American colonies and West Indies.

In February 2023, the U.S. Department of the Interior submitted the multi-country nomination to the World Heritage Sites list — administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) — for Moravian Church Settlements. It was the first time the U.S. put forth a transnational nomination. Last Friday, UNESCO added the settlements during the World Heritage Committee meeting in New Delhi, India.

“Our community has long cherished and preserved Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem, and we are honored to receive this global recognition,” Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds said in a release. “The designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is a profound testament to the unmatched historical and cultural significance of Bethlehem and the enduring legacy of the Moravian Church.”

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland praised the selection of the Historic Moravian Bethlehem District in a press release on Friday.

“The United States is deeply honored to be included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List with the listing of the Historic Moravian Bethlehem District where visitors from around the world are able to learn about the rich history of Moravian settlements, their cultural tradition and spiritual ideals,” Haaland wrote. “This designation is a recognition of the incredible work of the National Park Service and its local partners to preserve an important part of American — and world — history.”